[Med-privacy] med-priv for Federal employees

[Peter Marshall]

--Apple-Mail-323-251949369
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DAILY BRIEFING March=A023,=A02005


  Senator calls for privacy protections in health benefits program

  By David McGlinchey
dmcglinchey@govexec.com

A senior Democratic senator called on the Office of Personnel=20
Management Tuesday to strengthen the protection of personal health=20
information for those in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

The issue was raised by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the ranking member=20=

of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee=20
on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the=20
District of Columbia. Akaka said he is concerned about the privacy=20
issue as the federal government encourages companies involved in FEHBP=20=

to use health information technology.

The FEHBP provides health insurance to federal workers, retirees and=20
dependents, and enrolls 2.2 million active employees, 1.8 million=20
retirees and 4 million dependents. Late last year, information on=20
government charge-card accounts for 1.2 million federal workers went=20
missing from the Bank of America. That information included names,=20
Social Security numbers, addresses and account numbers.

"Although the adoption of [health information technology] through the=20
FEHBP has the potential to provide better and more efficient health=20
care, this cannot be done without addressing potential consequences for=20=

health information privacy," Akaka said. "The changes that will=20
accompany the full use of information technology in the health care=20
industry may raise issues not currently addressed under the Health=20
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule."

Akaka sent a letter recently to Acting OPM Director Dan Blair asking=20
that any move to increase the use of health information technology in=20
FEHBP companies be accompanied by a request for information on the=20
privacy protections available to participants. Akaka also asked Blair=20
to report back with the number of plans that already use extensive=20
health information systems and whether any privacy complaints have been=20=

filed against those plans.

The senator noted that President Bush last year signed an executive=20
order pushing for increased use of information technology resources in=20=

health systems - including FEHBP.

OPM officials said the matter is under review.

"Yes, we have received the letter," said OPM spokesman Mike Orenstein.=20=

"It is now under review and we will respond."

Calls to the office of Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, the chairman of=20
the subcommittee, were not returned.

This document is located at=20
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0305/032305d1.htm=

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=
<bold><fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param><color><param>FFFF,FFFF,FFFF</pa=
ram><x-tad-smaller>DAILY
=
BRIEFING</x-tad-smaller></color></fontfamily></bold><bold><fontfamily><par=
am>Helvetica</param><bigger><x-tad-bigger>
=
</x-tad-bigger></bigger></fontfamily></bold><bold><fontfamily><param>Helve=
tica</param><x-tad-smaller>March=A023,=A02005



=
</x-tad-smaller></fontfamily></bold><bold><fontfamily><param>Helvetica</pa=
ram><color><param>C4C4,1313,2424</param><bigger><bigger><bigger>
Senator calls for privacy protections in health benefits =
program</bigger></bigger></bigger></color><bigger><bigger><bigger>


<color><param>C4C4,1313,2424</param>
</color></bigger></bigger></bigger><x-tad-smaller>By David McGlinchey

=
</x-tad-smaller><color><param>0000,3333,9999</param><x-tad-smaller>dmcglin=
chey@govexec.com</x-tad-smaller></color><x-tad-smaller>=20


</x-tad-smaller></fontfamily></bold><bigger><x-tad-bigger>A senior
Democratic senator called on the Office of Personnel Management
Tuesday to strengthen the protection of personal health information
for those in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.


The issue was raised by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the ranking
member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal
Workforce, and the District of Columbia. Akaka said he is concerned
about the privacy issue as the federal government encourages companies
involved in FEHBP to use health information technology.


The FEHBP provides health insurance to federal workers, retirees and
dependents, and enrolls 2.2 million active employees, 1.8 million
retirees and 4 million dependents. Late last year, information on
government charge-card accounts for 1.2 million federal workers went
missing from the Bank of America. That information included names,
Social Security numbers, addresses and account numbers.


"Although the adoption of [health information technology] through the
FEHBP has the potential to provide better and more efficient health
care, this cannot be done without addressing potential consequences
for health information privacy," Akaka said. "The changes that will
accompany the full use of information technology in the health care
industry may raise issues not currently addressed under the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule."


Akaka sent a letter recently to Acting OPM Director Dan Blair asking
that any move to increase the use of health information technology in
FEHBP companies be accompanied by a request for information on the
privacy protections available to participants. Akaka also asked Blair
to report back with the number of plans that already use extensive
health information systems and whether any privacy complaints have
been filed against those plans.


The senator noted that President Bush last year signed an executive
order pushing for increased use of information technology resources in
health systems - including FEHBP.


OPM officials said the matter is under review.


"Yes, we have received the letter," said OPM spokesman Mike Orenstein.
"It is now under review and we will respond."


Calls to the office of Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, the chairman of
the subcommittee, were not returned.


=
</x-tad-bigger><italic><fontfamily><param>Helvetica</param><x-tad-bigger>T=
his
document is located at
=
</x-tad-bigger><color><param>C4C4,1313,2424</param><x-tad-bigger>http://ww=
w.govexec.com/dailyfed/0305/032305d1.htm</x-tad-bigger></color></fontfamil=
y></italic></bigger>=

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